How end-to-end encryption will and won’t change for Apple users in the UK

Apple Inc. took the unprecedented step of disabling optional Advanced Data Protection in the UK on Friday, removing a feature that used end-to-end encryption to secure cloud storage and other features.

The move came in response to a recent order from the UK government, which asked the iPhone maker to build a backdoor for global access to user data. Apple declined to build such a mechanism. Instead, it disabled its advanced protection feature, a step that could potentially make it easier for the government — or outside hackers — to obtain user data.